Houston firm assists self-funded medical plans in directly contracting with medical care providers by moving away from traditional PPO networks. This article is an excellent read on some of the common myths regarding direct contracting:
http://www.ajlester.com/public_html/documents/HBJ%20Direct%20Contracting%20Myths.pdf
For more information go to www.directmanagedcare.com
The federal government has filed suit against BAE Systems alleging the company has violated disability laws by firing a morbidly obese employee at its Houston-area plant.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s lawsuit says the Virginia-based firm that makes military vehicles fired Ronald Kratz II in 2009 for being overweight.
The lawsuit filed in a Houston court says that when the company fired Kratz he was a materials handler who weighed more than 600 pounds. Kratz had worked at the plant in Sealy since 1994.
BAE told the Houston Chronicle it is reviewing the allegations and “will respond at the appropriate time and manner.”
The federal agency says Kratz, who received ‘very good’ employee reviews in 2008 and 2009, was replaced by a worker who was not obese.
“Throughout history, there have been similar challenges to other landmark legislation such as the Social Security Act, the Civil Rights Act, and the Voting Rights Act, and all of those challenges failed,” the Justice Department said.
SOUTHFIELD, Mich.—Blue Care Network said Wednesday that it will issue refunds of 2.5% of billed premiums to about 5,200 employers in Michigan.Officials at Southfield, Mich.-based Blue Care, the largest commercial health plan in Michigan, said it would issue the refunds because health care costs were lower than expected this year.”The Blues ask employers every day to embrace wellness in the workplace and give employees incentives to become healthier,” Blue Care President Kevin Klobucar said in a statement.
The total amount of the refund is $7.3 million. Blue Care Network did not provide a total count of employees, but these are 5,200 small businesses with 50 or fewer employees.
Blue Care also announced that its statewide average rate increase for the small-group market of 50 or fewer employees will be 6.7% in the first quarter of 2012, the lowest in the past four years. Blue Care increased rates 8.3% in 2009, 10.9% in 2010 and 9.9% in 2011.
“The Blues work every day to provide quality health care coverage while balancing costs,” Mr. Klobucar said. “We provide products that encourage healthy behaviors, programs that promote preventive care and wellness, and networks of high-quality doctors and hospitals. This approach is working and translates into lower costs for Michigan businesses.”
Blue Cross snared another group in South Texas recently. The Blues are aggressively competitive – their enrollment teams are working overtime these days. In just the past 30 days, the Blues have written Brownsville Independent School District, the largest employer south of San Antonio, Kleberg County and the City of Harlingen.
Steve Keevan, Blue Cross Blue Shield representative is leading the Blue Cross Blitzkrieg in South Texas with an unbroken chain of victories.
Nothing wrong with ObamaCare keeping medical records on every American, warehoused in some federal data base. But OnStar is chastised for basically the same thing?
http://news.yahoo.com/ny-sen-schumer-accuses-onstar-invading-privacy-215425123.html
The Baylor Health Care System has decided that if you use tobacco, in any form, you won’t get a job with them. Are Fat People next?
